Dedicated to the Business of Contemporary Live Music
THE WAR on Drugs, who play London’s The O2 (cap. 21,000) this December, have chosen an L500 Plus mixing desk by Oxford-based manufacturer Solid State Logic to manage the sound. Monitor engineer Laurence Eaves and front-of-house engineer Bob Strakele need to balance up to 80 inputs, with each band member…
Read moreEXPANDING THE series of 7,500-capacity Classical Ibiza concerts this year, Revival Productions and partner Ministry of Sound needed an audio system which provided a smooth sound in sensitive settings, according to Revival’s Lisa Ward. They also needed a provider capable of logistical back up on unusual sites including Yorkshire’s Harewood…
Read moreINVESTMENT IN a full-sized Martin Audio MLA system by Stourbridge-based Stage Audio Services (SAS) allowed the company to deploy a smaller system at Shambala Festival (cap. 15,000), yet provide better coverage than previous years, according to SAS MD Kevin Mobberley. Acquiring the system also, says the company, gives it capacity…
Read moreLIGHTING DESIGNER Hayden Borgars says he was aiming for atmospheric lighting with a modern edge when US rock band Glassjaw played a showcase at London’s O2 Academy Brixton (cap. 4,900). Instead of using a backdrop, Borgars created a curtain of light by deploying Philips Vari-Lite VL800 BeamLines by manufacturer Signify,…
Read moreBIRMINGHAM’S NEC Group has announced that its 15,700-capacity Genting Arena will be rebranded to Resorts World Arena, as part of its continued partnership with Malaysia-based gaming giant Genting’s UK office. Genting UK has held the title sponsorship of the venue since January 2015, prior to which it was known as…
Read moreVENUE CYMRU in Llandudno is to benefit from a £3 million refurbishment, funded by Conwy Council, the European Union and Welsh Government. It is expected to involve the removal of walls in the entrance foyer, new ground-floor “curtain glazing” and entrance doors. Work on the building will start this month…
Read morePromoters are expected to benefit from a new system designed to take brand loyalty to the next level. Event guide and ticketing outlet Skiddle is upgrading its ‘rep’ system to focus on offering money and exclusive rewards for customers who promote the sale of tickets to their friends. Reps can…
Read moreA £6.3 million extension to the 576-capacity St George’s venue in Bristol offers two new performance spaces, a new cafe bar and improved access for people with disabilities. Funded by Bristol City Council, Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund, the extension’s additional performances areas can accommodate a standing…
Read moreTHE FAIRFIELD Halls’ long-awaited reopening has been delayed again. The two venue complex, which includes the 1,800-seat Concert Hall and Ashcroft Theatre (cap 755), closed in July 2016 for a £30 million redevelopment. The refurbishment of the 56-year-old building has been plagued with delays from the start. It has also…
Read moreSIX PEOPLE have appeared before York Crown Court accused of money laundering and breaches of consumer law relating to the resale of millions of pounds’ worth of tickets for concerts and events. The landmark prosecution could have implications for companies using multiple identities and credit cards to harvest tickets on…
Read morePROMOTER, FESTIVAL organiser and venue owner DHP Family has appointed Richie Deeney as its new head of brand partnerships. Deeney, who has previously worked on campaigns for artistes such as Arcade Fire, Steve Mason, Everything Everything and Friendly Fires, will work alongside MD George Akins and director of live Anton…
Read moreHARINGEY COUNCIL has bowed to pressure and agreed to a review of the licence granted to Live Nation Entertainment (LNE) to stage the annual Wireless festival (cap. 49,000) in North London’s Finsbury Park. The review, which will begin on 15 October, has been granted following submissions by Islington and Hackney…
Read moreEAST LONDON’S 3,100-capacityTroxy has joined forces with ticketing platform DICE to become the world’s largest mobile-only and seemingly now tout-proof venue. The move to digital will put fans first by implementing DICE’s mobile-only tickets to stop reselling, as well as selling tickets through the show and allowing refunds up…
Read moreUNCERTAINTY AGAIN hangs over the fate of a possible city centre arena in Bristol, following LIVE UK’s revelation last month that Harvey Goldsmith and local businessman Stephen Fear had stepped into the ongoing saga, backed by a mystery US venue operator. Fear has now revealed that the Los Angeles-based backer…
Read moreNORTH LONDON’S 1,420-capacity Koko – voted one of the Top 3 in the Best Venue Teamwork: Major Club category in the Live Music Business Awards – has been forced to close with immediate effect, after a structural issue with the building was discovered. The Grade II*-listed building, owned by The…
Read moreTHE 40,000-capacity Bestival and its family-oriented sister event Camp Bestival (cap. 26,000), founded by Radio One DJ Robert Gorham (aka Rob da Bank) have been purchased from administration by South Coast-based The Richmond Group (TRG) for £1.1 million. The festivals’ future came under the spotlight when the Sunday Times newspaper…
Read moreWell, not quite yet. But the shockwaves from Channel 4’s Dispatches: The Great Ticket Scandal in 2012 were the catalyst for industry figures to join campaigning Labour MP Sharon Hodgson, featured in the programme, to oppose industrial-scale and insider secondary ticketing, with the past few weeks and months witnessing a…
Read moreCONVENTION and music festival Sound City has appointed Rebecca Ayres as it’s new MD, taking over the role from founder Dave Pichilingi. Ayres, who has worked for the event since it began in 2008 and was made chief operating officer in 2012, while Pichilingi will focus more on records, publishing…
Read moreAEG PRESENTS has promoted Simon Jones to the newly created position of senior vice-president (VP) of live music international. Jones, who was previously VP of AEG’s Goldenvoice division, will be responsible for expanding the company’s international touring activities, working with its offices in the US, Europe, Asia and the Middle…
Read moreTHE FIRST panellists have been announced for the 12TH annual LIVE UK Summit, to be held on Thursday 11 October in London’s West End. Focussing on the venues sector, the Supply & Demand panel will feature NEC Group MD of Arenas Phil Mead and VMS Live founder Steve Forster, while…
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